Terra Firma, Aqua Regia
by ArceusGPG
Summary: Team Aqua and Magma are on a mission to retrieve the artifacts that they highly prize- the Blue and Red Orbs, respectively. When an unlikely member of Team Aqua finds the Blue Orb, her boss does not believe that someone so low of rank could achieve such a feat. She sets out on a journey to prove her worth. When a thief finds the Red Orb, he takes an entirely different path...
1. Chapter 1: Ashes to Ashes

_Ashes_. They are the remnants of lives that were consumed by fire. They are all I see, scattered in the wind, forgotten for all eternity.

Why must flames gorge themselves upon nature, extinguishing itself through its own greed? Why do we instigate this senseless destruction? Why are we constantly creating sparks, those uncontrolled emotions that lead only to destruction?

"Keep searching! Team Magma will generously reward whoever finds the treasure!"

Must I always follow orders, accepting the disgusting corruption as a part of the job? I am divided between loyalty and common sense, and I have to constantly make a difficult choice. It is unfortunate that I am taking the easier road, the road paved with the ashes of our predecessors.

"Camerupt!" I called out, my voice bouncing against the rock walls. "Have you found anything yet?"

A low grumble emanated from the volcano. A vat of scalding steam shot out from the ground just ahead, startling me. I could usually keep a level head during a raid, but exploring an active volcano kept me on edge. The thought of having skin seared from my body heightened my awareness.

I glanced around me, checking the other thief's progress. He was sitting on a rock, twiddling his thumbs as his Pokémon did the tedious work. That was the very definition of a Team Magma member- useless and incompetent.

I shouted into the unknown for my Pokémon, hoping that I was in earshot. Camerupt was my only partner that could traverse pure lava, and endure the extreme heats of a volcano. He could handle himself, but I worried that he might get lost in the dark cave systems.

Bending down to the warm ground, I listened for the code we had agreed upon. One stomp meant that he was fine; two stomps meant he had discovered something, and three stomps meant that he was in trouble.

I could feel the ground rumble, thanks to the environment's instability. However, I could distinguish the pulsing beats that could only be created by a large creature stomping.

I counted quietly to myself. One... two... The noise paused. One... two...

There was no doubt about it. Camerupt had found something, something worth telling me about. I had to hide the excitement on my face. It could very well mean that he found the artifact Team Magma was searching for.

I would have to go check to make sure. I grabbed some rope out of my pack and slung it over my shoulder. The other thief noticed my abrupt change of pace and stood up, curious.

"Hey. Whatcha doing, Jonathan? You got somewhere to go?"

I growled softly to myself. I couldn't stand speaking to the likes of him, but I had no choice. If he followed me, I wouldn't get the chance to examine my findings in private. If I wanted to claim the treasure as my own, I would need solitude.

"My Pokémon is stuck under some boulders. I need to go pull him out of there before he suffocates. Do you want to help me?" I offered, bluffing my way out of a follower.

"Nah, man, that's your Pokémon. Only you know what's best for him; I'm not going to interfere or anything."

"Suit yourself," I said, heading into the darkness. I pulled out my flashlight and let its narrow beam of light guide my steps. The last thing I needed was to inadvertently fall into a pit of lava.

I continued trekking carefully, stopping once in a while to wipe the sweat from my brow. I was beginning to grow weary as I journeyed through the molten landscape, fearing for my life.

_Heat_. It is the release of kinetic energy between the system and surroundings due to a difference in temperature. Anything near something hot is going to get burned. Heat must spread, and thus diminish its power.

I can only hope that I am able to withstand it.

I stopped in my tracks. Right in front of me was my Camerupt, holding the treasure carefully in his mouth. It was legitimate; I could feel its power emanating from where I was standing. The legends were true.

Sidling up to the volcanic Pokémon, I congratulated him on his success. Camerupt smiled, happy it could help me. He certainly did just that.

I took the Red Orb from him, placing it in the palm of my hand. I held it up at eye level to marvel at its beauty. The sphere had a certain aura to it, a mystique that intrigued me. The opaque artifact felt smooth in my hand, unnaturally round, almost forged by the unnatural. Looking deep inside, I could see an intense fire, a restless inferno without smoke, waiting to be released.

I was entranced by the dancing flames, and might have stood there gaping at the treasure if the heat didn't start weighing down on me. I had to return to a cooler area.

I gently placed the orb in my bag, tucking it away safely. I smiled, relieved at my good fortune. Team Magma needed this artifact, and it would be worth a lot to them, especially if they heard that Team Aqua was also bidding for it...

**Author's Note:**

_**This is a collaboration ****between ****XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**** and ****ArceusGPG****.****  
Neither of us ****own**** The Pokémon Franchise ****or any of its characters.**_

_**All original characters, however are owned by their respective authors.**__**  
This chapter**** was written by ****ArceusGPG**** and edited by ****XStrawberryDuckFeathersX****.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Unsettled Waters

**Chapter Written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

**Some editing by ArceusGPG**

I made my way to my boss's office, repeating the same line over and over in my mind.

_Don't panic. You'll be fine._

I wrung the water from my hair and clothes. My Zangoose, Razer, shook his fur, getting me soaked.

"I just dried off, Razer! I don't need you getting me covered in water again."

The smell of a damp Mightyena wafted into my nose when Sara leapt up and licked my face.

"Alright, I know you're excited. Just look cool, okay?"

I had arrived at the door of Archie's office. Our insignia was etched into a plastic sign, giving me a warm sense of belonging. My legs were like jelly; I knew just how Archie would probably react. He'd never believe that someone like me would be the one to retrieve the artifact he so highly prized. Razer slunk into the office, proudly flashing his huge claws. Sara followed, seemingly unaffected by Archie's air of authority. If only I were as brave and as confident as my dear Pokémon.

"I found it, sir."

I stepped forward, my hands trembling. If I kept shaking like this, his prized orb would be reduced to naught but blue shards. Archie examined the orb, curiosity in his eyes.

"Your name, please."

To be honest, I thought he would've remembered. I breathed in deeply and closed my eyes, gathering the little confidence that I had; I hoped that this would be the turning point of my career. I hoped that it would be this that would gain me the title of a Team Aqua Admin.

"Lacie Meer, sir."

Archie swiftly typed something on his laptop keyboard, most likely my name. He peered over the screen and looked down on me. He'd figured it out. I knew it just by the disappointment on his face.

"But you're a Grunt," he spat, as if he thought that someone so low down in Team Aqua's hierarchy could never achieve such a feat. Ever.

"I know, sir," I replied, stroking the sublime fur of my Zangoose's tail; Razer snuggled his head into my side, grinning at me.

"Hand it over."

Sara paced across the office, snarling at Archie. I was reluctant to just give it to him straight away. I'd just found an extremely rare jewel. Was it right to let it go like this? Sara and Razer looked into the jewel. It cast a cool blue glow on their furry faces.

"Okay, sir, right away…"

I carefully placed the orb on the table. Archie beamed, and scooped it closer to him.

"We have it, Lacie! We have the orb!"

Archie heaved himself from his desk. He gazed into his pendant, which bore our emblem. He kissed it and smiled.

"I've done it!"

My eyes dilated. Razer and Sara both stopped in their tracks and turned to stare at the man.

"Surely I should get some recognition, sir? I _did_ find it, after all," I said, with a hint of seriousness in my voice.

_ Promotion. Promotion. Promotion._

A promotion would mean more to me than the Blue Orb and the legendary Pokémon themselves! However, I wasn't sure if Archie was as generous as I'd hoped; I couldn't build my hopes up just yet.

"You are merely a Grunt. I do not believe that you were the one to find this Blue Orb."

"What? Why not? I wouldn't lie to you! You're my boss!"

I pulled back on Razer and Sara's collars when they both lunged for him.

"Sorry, Meer, but I just don't believe that someone of your caliber could do such a thing. You can leave now. Don't lie to me in the future, Meer. It wasn't like your mother to lie to me. It shouldn't be like her daughter to do so either."

I clenched a tight fist, but quickly unfurled my fingers. No matter what reasons I had for gouging his eyes out, I couldn't lose my temper to my own boss. I would lose my job, not to mention let down my family. Besides, I was in this for them, not for _him._

I stormed down the corridor, venting to my Pokémon.

* * *

"I can't believe he didn't believe it was me. Who else does he think did it? Arceus?"

Sara let out a low growl.

I decided to call it a day, and headed to my room to get some well-deserved sleep. A Grunt had just found an ancient treasure. Of course, I doubted that Archie would ever realize my potential. I will become an Admin, and I'll do whatever it takes to achieve my dreams.

**Author Note: The misspelling of 'razor' for Lacie's Zangoose's name is intentional; it is a play on words-'razor' and 'raze', meaning 'to destroy'.**


	3. Chapter 3: Restless Flames

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

The admin glared at me, her hands on her hips in disgust. She was standing on a platform above me for absolutely no reason. She always found a way to look down at me, despite the fact that I was a few inches taller than her. I think it was a psychological thing for her.

"So I guess you and the other _thief_ didn't find anything," she said, spitting out the word "thief" like it was supposed to be an insult.

I saluted; I decided that it was best not to concern myself with petty quips. My occupation was more than accepted by Team Magma; in fact, it was embraced by Maxie as an innovative branch of the organization. Team Magma's income had to come from somewhere, and solar panels couldn't quite cover the energy cost that the group was spending.

My job was supposedly to recover valuable artifacts for the organization to pawn off to the highest bidder, but I knew better than that. My real job was to find the orbs, and deliver them to whoever outranked me. Maybe if I were more loyal to Team Magma, I would have actually done my job, but right now, the orbs were free game.

"I find it interesting that we hardly ever find what we're looking for. After all of these recent expeditions, we haven't found any treasure. Why do you think that is?"

I shrugged, as if to say 'not my problem'.

"Well, no offense, but I don't trust anyone who's labeled as a professional thief, whether they're on our side or not."

"That's understandable," I said, still saluting. "You have every right to be wary of your own team members. It's not as if teamwork is absolutely vital to Team Magma's success."

She did not appreciate my sarcasm. "I have my eye on you, Jonathan Heist. There's a reason you haven't made any progress in your career."

It was because I questioned authority. I felt no obligation to give respect to those that didn't deserve it.

"It's because you think you're above obeying the rules. Your cocky attitude sickens everyone around you. You're impossible to talk to, let alone work with."

I just blankly stared into her eyes, looking past them. If someone can't register emotion on your face, they will eventually stop talking. Even someone clueless in reading body language would eventually realize that their words weren't making any difference.

"You don't even realize just how much potential you have. You're throwing it away."

She started to sound like my mother. I would have walked away a long time ago if she didn't outrank me. I hated to kowtow to the criminal group, but I needed to work from the inside. I had to stay well-connected until the deal pulled through.

I let my jaw hang lazily open, to show just how much I cared. I even let a little bit of saliva hang from the corner of my mouth.

"I even put in a good word with Maxie. I think you could succeed if you would just clean up you attitude."

That was news to me. She might even be valuable to my operation, being a direct line to the Big Boss himself. That was who I needed to contact. I might actually start some brown-nosing if it meant contacting Maxie. There was just a little problem; I had forgotten her name. She was the fourth most influential person in Team Magma, not to mention my boss, and I forgot who she was.

I guess I really should pay more attention, but I didn't care before. I did now. I sat up straight.

"Miss Admin Lady, I am very sorry for causing trouble. It won't happen again."

I knew that the misrepresentation of her name would squeeze the real one out of her. People can be predictable like that sometimes.

"You know my name. It's Courtney."

"My apologies," I said, forcing a smile.

"That's quite alright. You may go now. Just bear in mind what I told you."

"I will," I lied, immediately forgetting what she'd said afterward.

I walked away, heading straight for my sleeping quarters. I closed the door and took out a Poké Ball from my belt. I released the monster inside.

"Come out, Houndoom!"

A bright red glow shot out of the Poké Ball, quickly materializing into a solid form. A large black dog stood before me, softly growling in anticipation. I bent down on one knee so I was at eye level with it. Apparently, this was a good strategy to help you 'connect' with your Pokémon.

"Houndoom, stand outside and keep your eyes peeled for other people. If anybody tries to get in, scratch the door with your back feet. I'll know to put the recording equipment away."

I opened the door again, letting Houndoom pass through. He knew what I was doing, but didn't display any feelings one way or another. He had developed a more stoic attitude ever since I first met him, almost changing his personality to match mine. I should feel flattered by the change, but it kind of bothered me.

I closed the door behind him. I grabbed the red orb from its hiding place and took a camera from my bag. I got to work on the two videos.

**Author's Note: **

**One orb**

**Two orb**

**Red orb**

**Blue orb**


	4. Chapter 4: Soggy

**Chapter by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

**Edited by ArceusGPG**

I lay on my bed, staring into an etching I had carved into the wall with a pair of compasses. It was a mighty orca-esque creature rising from the waves, beautiful patterns glowing on its fins. At least, that was what it was supposed to resemble. It was the legendary Pokémon Team Aqua endeavored to one day meet face-to-face. It was Kyogre. In fact, the more optimistic members hoped that we'd one day have full control over it.

I gazed down at Sara and Razer, who were curled up and deep in slumber. Sara's leg twitched occasionally; she was probably dreaming of the vast lands through which our adventures would hopefully take us. In a non-literal sense, so was I. I wanted to see the world, the many regions the globe had to offer. I wanted to get the chance to venture out of Hoenn one day. I wanted to see all the landmarks, from the Tohjo Falls to Mt. Coronet...

* * *

"Get up, you lazy lot! Out of bed! You've got work to do!"

My companions and I were woken by the stern yells of Archie. I rubbed my eyes and quickly donned my signature uniform. After tearing a brush through my hair, I rushed outside of my room, with Sara and Razer by my side. Archie put his hands behind his back.

"Punctual today, aren't we, Meer?" he asked, with a gleam of doubt in his eyes.

"Yes, sir," I replied, still half-asleep. I hoped he didn't mistake that for a lack of interest; I wouldn't hear the end of it.

"Well, that's what I like to see. It's even more surprising coming from someone of your rank."

Sara snarled at the man, and I pulled on her collar again.

"Well, you'd better go and eat your breakfast."

"Is it cornflakes again, sir?"

Archie chuckled. "Of course! A Grunt's favorite."

That was all we _ever_ ate. Every day, we Grunts would be served a sloppy serving of soggy corn flakes. The Admins were always treated to a fried breakfast, with lashings of bacon and sausages, fried eggs and enough ketchup to drown in. Their breakfasts were like the ones my father cooked when I got the rare day off. If only Archie had realized that I _really had_ found the orb. Maybe he would have treated me and my fellow Grunts to something a bit more satisfying.

* * *

The dining hall was rife with chatter. Grunts muttered amongst each other about how idiotic Archie and the Admins were. I hated how we were treated at times too, but my colleagues had to understand that there was nothing we could do about it. The authorities could do whatever the hell they wanted-why? Because they _could_. We just had to grin and bear it. If we stepped out of line, we would be punished severely. Most Grunts, like me, knew to keep their mouths shut- _or else_.

"I overheard Archie saying that you thought you found the Blue Orb, Lacie! Is that true?"

Crowds of Grunts closed in around me, making me feel extremely awkward. I liked my personal space, and I _really _didn't like people invading it.

"Yes, I did. It's mostly thanks to these two, though," I said promptly, gesturing to my Pokémon; the quicker I got the conversation over with, the sooner they'd leave me be.

"I don't believe that for a second. How would lazy Lacie ever get to it fast enough?" chuckled a fellow Grunt.

Looking around at the smiling faces of some of the Grunts made me feel as if life wasn't as bad as I'd thought. I could see through their fake smiles. They _despised_ life. I was fortunate enough to get the chance to eat something other than soggy cornflakes. I had a family who I could go back to now and then. I was lucky enough to have somewhere to call _home_. Some of our members didn't have a family _or_ a home. Their only home was the headquarters, and their only family members were their colleagues and their own Pokémon.

"I'm glad you found our orb, but there's gonna be competition, Lacie. There are some greedy people on this team. I bet they'd do anything to get hold of the treasure. How is anyone supposed to stop that from happening?"

He had a very good point. Some of the members worked for themselves and themselves only. Upon Archie's announcement of the Blue Orb being retrieved, there would almost certainly be some sneaky bastard who would try to snatch the orb and gain control over Kyogre. I could imagine how terrible that would be; most of my cohorts didn't seem like the type to use a legendary Pokémon's unfathomable power for good.

I kept my eyes and ears out for anyone who I suspected may have been plotting to steal it.


	5. Chapter 5: Burning Money

**Written by ArceusGPG**

**Edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

I slowly inhaled through my nose, hoping to calm my nerves. I guess it was a meditation technique or something. It had a special name, but I like to call it... breathing.

I knocked on the wooden door, mostly out of courtesy; if I wanted to make a good impression, then I would need to at least pretend like I had some manners.

"Come in!" a squeaky voice shouted. I did, reverently opening the door.

The room had strange designs on the both the floor and ceiling. The walls were covered with maps and posters, all of them stenciled with red markings and footnotes. It was like I had walked into a child's treasure-hunting pirate party.

The room certainly had a motif, but that wasn't the weirdest part of it. The weirdest part was the scrawny guy sitting in a large chair, folding his hands. If I were sitting there instead, it wouldn't be that strange.

"Take a seat, Jonathan."

Oh goody. We were on a first name basis. I sat in the chair across from him, enjoying the comforts of a cushion chair. I hadn't sat on one of those things for a really long time. I bounced up and down a few times, giggling to myself as the springs creaked and readjusted to my weight.

There were only two other people in the room, and neither of them looked pleased with my shenanigans. Courtney shook her head disapprovingly while Maxie just glared at me. Well they could just deal with it. _They_ called _me_. If they needed my help, they would have to accept my juvenile behavior.

Maxie cleared his throat. "So,_ Jonathan_, do you know why I've called you here?"

I stopped bouncing and shrugged. "Uh... probably to send me out on another treasure-hunting mission."

I wasn't an idiot; treasure-hunting on the corporate ladder was somewhere between custodial work and prostitution. There was no way the head of Team Magma was interested in the stupid treasures I had stolen for them. This had something to do with the video I sent in.

Maxie looked over at Administrator Courtney, who looked back at him.

"No, Jonathan. We've got something much more important for you to handle."

Feign ignorance. That's all I would have to do.

"Really?"

"We have a special assignment for you, one requiring the retaining of confidential information. Are you prepared to accept the responsibility?"

Duh. "Confidential Information" meant juicy stuff, and that's exactly what I wanted. There's nothing better than having dirt to dig up on a corrupt organization, especially if they're giving away their secrets so easily.

"I'm ready, Mr. Magma."

Maxie looked at Courtney again, as if to ask, "Why me?"

"Yes, I've heard good things about you from some of your supervisors, and I'm willing to give you a chance at this operation."

Ah, that was it. My boss had recommended me to _her_ boss, which made me sound really important. I was down with that. I guess my previous groveling had worked.

"You see, we've received a strange message from an unknown sender. Normally we would have disregarded the video as merely the act of a prankster, but we found something interesting upon closer examination."

Maxie gave a nod to Courtney, who walked to the front of the room. She opened the door, checking to see if there was anyone outside. Then she closed and locked it.

I had to laugh quietly to myself. They were being all paranoid, locking a wooden door. Everyone knows that wood is easy to listen through, and easy to break down too. Locking the door would achieve nothing, nothing whatsoever.

A projector screen descended from the ceiling and the lights were dimmed. I reached for my popcorn, but remembered that I didn't have any. I was in one of those low-budget movie theaters.

I didn't even have to look at the screen, because I already knew what I was going to see. It was just a really long visual of the orb, followed by my garbled voice stating that Team Magma could bid against Team Aqua's million-dollar offer for it. I slipped in a few hints that I was in an abandoned warehouse, just for laughs. The video ended with the promise of more to come.

After I had time to reminisce on my beautiful creation, the lights came back on.

"Your job is to investigate some nearby storage facilities. We have reason to believe that the Red Orb is hidden there."

Look surprised.

"How would you know that?"

Maxie scoffed, turning his head away from me. "If you find either the orb or the maker of this video, report immediately. Do not attempt to retrieve the valuable. Do you understand?"

"Roger that Team Leader," I said, giving a mock salute, "So are you going to bid for the orb too?"

"Thank you, you are allowed to go now. You will be informed of your first assignment when it comes." Maxie said, ignoring my question. I didn't press him any further, I had already gotten the answer. Giving the money would be their last resort, and I was their first.

I walked out of the room smiling. What idiots. What blundering idiots.

**Author's Note: Would you do ****_anything_**** for Baby Cookie? **

**Would you ****_kill_**** for Baby Cookie?**


	6. Chapter 6: Harpy

**Chapter writen by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

I massaged lily-scented shampoo into Sara's coat, making her lift her head in delight. Razer, however, was having none of it; he kept slashing at the wall, clearing the water out of his ears and stamping around in the bathtub. To pacify him, I took a small pot of bubble solution and blew through the ring on the handle. He popped the bubbles with his claws, too sidetracked by them to thrash about like a little child.

"Keep still, will you?" I chuckled, rinsing the shampoo from Sara's fur.

It seemed that Razer was trying to lick it off. He hissed at the bitter taste it left on his tongue, desperately wiping it off and then coughing up a hairball into the toilet.

Sara hopped out of the bathtub, shaking the water from her fur and all over me. I took a hairdryer and waved it over her fur. The comb ran through it smoothly. Razer gently ran his claws through his fur to 'comb' it, accidentally scratching his back and stomach.

"Good. Now we all look tidy enough for Archie not to give us a lecture about not looking 'smart enough for the job'," I said to them, as I slipped on my watch and left for Dewford Town to take care of some idiot who was protesting about us.

I strolled down the corridor- Sara by my left and Razer by my right, who was still trying to get rid of the remaining shampoo bubbles. I was sidetracked by a wild commotion that was going on in the Admin's common room. Of course, I couldn't enter, but I could always eavesdrop from a gap behind the wall. I kept an ear out. Judging by the words I heard, they were just shown a video of the Red Orb-the genuine Red Orb. It was being offered for money- a million dollars, to be exact. I couldn't recognize the voice; the speaker seemed to be using a device to electronically alter it enough so he was more anonymous. Who on Earth would have the genuine Red Orb? It must've been a hoax. Then, I heard the voice of a certain someone as she left the room…

"_Who needs the Red Orb when I can get the Blue Orb for myself?"_

I couldn't believe my ears. I could, however, believe who said it. Only one woman could be as selfish as to think of such a thing.

_Shelly._

All of a sudden, she stopped. She sniffed the air.

"Do I smell a Grunt?" she sniggered, but was the only one who saw the funny side of what she said. She turned to me. "What're you doing, snooping around the Admins' common room?"

"What was that video all about?"

I couldn't think of any ways to lie my way out of it. After all, she wouldn't have believed anything I said anyway.

"That's none of your business, Grunt!"

_Just keep calm._

She shoved me out of her way, but that wasn't what worried me. What worried me was…Sara. She barked loudly and hurtled after Shelly. She caught her by the leg and dragged her to the floor. She landed flat on her face.

"Hey! Get off of me! Is this what you call good Pokémon training, Lacie?" Shelly squealed, trying to deter the Mightyena by waving her hands in a shooing action. "I shouldn't have expected anything else from a Grunt!"

Sara clawed at her, tearing the back of her T-shirt.

"If you stop insulting me, she'll stop attacking you," I said calmly.

Shelly chose to ignore me, ranting about how Grunts are poor Trainers, and suggesting where I should shove my advice. After a while, I noticed a primal gleam in Sara's eye. A warning sign.

"Sara! No!"

Her teeth began glowing purple. She was about to use the move that I didn't want her to use after what had happened so long ago. I felt a reluctant scream escape my throat.

"Sara! Get back here! NOW!"

She froze, lifted a paw and turned to face me.

"She isn't worth it."

Shelly lay on the floor, breathless and almost traumatized. Sara ran back to me and stood by my side, looking up at me. Shelly lifted herself from the floor and ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Sara! What are you doing? She's an Admin! Do you know how much trouble we could get in now?" I hissed.

Sara put her tail between her legs and whimpered, her eyes looking down at the floor. Still, Shelly's well-being wasn't what was playing on my mind; the Blue Orb was. If any Admin were to take possession of it, then she would've been the worst of them all. She was selfish. Careless. She'd gain control of Kyogre just to get it do what _she _wanted.

I was probably the only one that knew of Shelly's plans to steal the Blue Orb; therefore, I would be the only one able to prevent her from doing so. But the only way I could do that was to risk my own job. I'd probably even be risking my own life. The only way I could prevent Shelly from taking the Blue Orb…

…was to take it myself.


	7. Chapter 7: Burning Bridges

**This chapter has been edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

"Hey! Jonathan! Over here!"

I recognized that voice. It was that annoying trainer from the volcano.

"Jonathan! I see you! C'mon!"

I didn't even know his name, so how did he know mine? This was so inconvenient. The moron had already called enough attention to himself that I couldn't just walk away. I had to at least shut him up.

I walked over to his table with my tray of food, glaring at him. He smiled at me, pointing to the spot across from him.

"What?" I asked, letting the impatience slip out in my voice.

"Sit over there. I wanna ask you something."

"My ears work fine when I'm standing up."

The other thief snorted like a pig. I suppose it was supposed to be his laugh. Then he took a handful of French fries and shoveled them into his gaping mouth. He began chewing them very loudly.

"That's okay, Johnny boy. I'm not gonna talk your ear off or anything. I just want to ask you about your Pokémon."

It took me a few moments to remember the lie I told in the volcano.

"Oh, that. Yeah, everything turned out fine."

"Really? I don't want to pry or anything, but sometimes events like that can negatively affect your relationship," he said, finally swallowing what was in his mouth, "So, what happened?"

I sighed, making sure my breath was nice and loud for him to hear. I looked like an idiot, just standing in the middle of the break room with a tray of food.

"Everything turned out fine. Do you need anything else?"

He seemed hurt by my abruptness. He even stopped mid-grab for his food.

"Aw, don't be like that Jonathan. I'm just trying to start a conversation."

"If I've been rude, then I apologize."

He looked at me as if I were going to say something else. I kept him in suspense by disappointing him.

He pinched the rest of his tater tots and plunked them into the dark void. All the while, he kept his eyes fixed on me, still expecting me to speak. I kept my body completely stiff, as if frozen in time.

Eventually he figured out I wasn't going to do anything. With his mouth full of potato hash, he started gabbing again.

"You know, I don't think I've seen you maintain a conversation without being forced into it."

"That's interesting," I said, as I began moving again.

"Come to think of it, I don't think that-"

He suddenly stopped yammering and started shutting up. He started looking past me, at something behind my back. I turned around to see what he was gawking at.

It was Courtney, parting the sea of grunts like a lame version of Moses. She was looking right at me, which was a good sign. That meant I was probably going on my first pretend mission.

She stopped in front of me and pointed a gloved finger at my chest. She tried to frown as much as possible, but I couldn't see any anger in her eyes.

"Heist! You are to report to Maxie immediately!"

The entire room stopped what they were doing to observe my reaction. To the uninformed populous, it would look like I was in huge trouble with the big boss. If anyone were slightly more intelligent, they would have seen past Courtney's bad acting.

"Oh!" I cried, putting my hand on my forehead like a drama queen, "Not the office. Anything but the office. Please don't tell me he's in his office."

Courtney glared at me. She just wanted me to walk out of the room quietly. Instead, I was putting her in an awkward situation.

"Yes, the office. Now get going. He's _waiting_ for you," she said, starting to grit her teeth.

"Whatever have I done to deserve this? Why me?"

"Just go!" she shouted, pointing to the exit.

I put my face in my hands, pretending to cry like a baby. I purposely overdid it, just to frustrate her even more. Through the cracks in my fingers, I could see that no one was buying it. They weren't _completely_ stupid.

When I reached the hallway I began dashing like a crazy person. Being a somewhat limber individual, I could slip past the drivel clogging up the hallway without too much of a hassle.

I reached the big boss's door in record time skidding to a stop. Then I cordially knocked on the wooden door as if I had just walked there. A squeaky voice answered.

"Come in!"

I opened the door and walked inside his fancy headquarters. He was sitting at his desk, toying with his laptop. I sat down in the comfy chair and began bouncing in it again.

Maxie peered over his computer at me. "Where's Courtney? She was supposed to be with you."

I looked at the ceiling, as if thinking.

"I think she's out in the hallway, flirting with some other thief. She'll be in shortly."

Maxie looked outraged. "What?!"

That was when Courtney ran into the room, breathless.

**Author's Note: If Jonathan begins a fake mission, is required to complete it, is that Mission Impossible?**


	8. Chapter 8: Infiltration

**Chapter by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

I had no idea how I was supposed to retrieve the Blue Orb from Archie. I knew that he would definitely have a very strong security system from it, be it a store room full of sensitive lasers or a band of vicious guard-Pokémon. But then again, maybe it wasn't located in any kind of a hidden room? Maybe it wasn't hidden at all.

Archie seemed like the big-headed type, the type to flaunt the treasure that _he never even found_. He seemed like the type to present it for all too see. Luckily, that was going to make my job much easier. Sara snoozed in her basket, so I decided to take Razer with me to do a bit of an inspection.

I knocked quietly on Archie's door.

"Come in."

I gingerly entered, Razer following slowly behind. He let out a large yawn and stretched out his front paws on the floor.

"What do _you_ want, Meer?"

To be honest, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted from Archie at all. I couldn't exactly tell him that Shelly was planning to steal the Blue Orb, and then Kyogre. He'd never believe me; Admins were almost perfect in his eyes. I decided to just keep him waiting for as long as it took me to notice his treasure.

"I…I wanted to thank you for…"

"Don't waste my time, Meer!"

"Wait, wait! I wanted to…"

Maybe if I pretended to kiss his ass, he'd listen to me for however long it took me to find the Blue Orb. However, it seemed awfully odd of me to do such a thing, and he must have picked up on that. I should have thought about that part.

I kept peering past his shoulder into the huge aquarium behind him. Archie's prized Pokémon- a Gorebyss, Huntail and a Sharpedo swam elegantly through the waters, but they kept swimming in the way of the sand.

"Thank you for everything you have…um…"

Once they finally moved out of the way, I spotted the wondrous blue gleam of the Blue Orb nestled in the sand.

"…for being a cool boss," I finished.

Archie gave me a confounded look. "What on Earth?"

"I was just trying to…be polite. Anyway, I have to go."

I quickly left the room. I was completely mortified, but I now knew the location of the Blue Orb.

* * *

"Come on, Frost! You love the water! Why don't you want to come with me?"

My Sealeo lay lazily in the bathtub, murmuring to herself. Frost was normally the lazy type, but today, her laziness seemed to have increased tenfold. After a couple of Poffins, she simply wouldn't move.

"Damn it, Frost! Do you want Shelly to gain control over Kyogre?"

As soon as I said her name, she gazed up in fright. Even my Pokémon didn't trust her.

"Exactly. Now do you want to come with me? We're after a round object! You like those, don't you?"

Frost clapped and made her usual bark-like noise. She attempted to slide out of the bathtub, but failed. I returned her to her Poké Ball, donned a dark cloak and balaclava and carefully sneaked out my room. I would look suspicious to anyone that happened to see me, but they wouldn't figure out who I was.

* * *

I had to make sure that I didn't make a sound. If anyone heard a pin drop, I'd be in deep trouble. We had limited time.

I crept past the sleeping Team Aqua 'guards'. Now, there would be a Grunt feeding the water Pokémon, meaning that the room that lead to the opening of the aquarium would be open. I carefully tiptoed up the stairs and carefully pushed the door.

It was rather dark, but the aquarium light shone on the Grunt's face, giving her an eerie appearance. She was throwing flakes of food and a couple of Poffins into the water. She looked up.

"Hey! What are-"

"Shh. Be quiet, or they'll hear me," I whispered. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"Well, if you don't mind me asking …What are you doing here?"

I clicked open my Poké Ball. The red light swirled, formed the shape of Frost and materialized into her. I put my finger to my lips and she stayed silent.

"We're going for a bit of a swim. That Shelly's after the Blue Orb, so I'm gonna grab it so she can't get her hands on it. Think of what she could do with something like that."

"What? You can't take the Blue Orb! That's crazy! Archie would have you drowned!"

I lay a hand on her shoulder. "If we weren't his slaves, he would probably drown all of us Grunts. I bet you're fed up of having to clean that tank all of the time."

Tara sighed. "Yeah."

"You just have to grin and bear it." I smiled at her. I slipped into a diving suit that hung on the wall and mounted Frost once she'd slipped into the water.

"No! You can't do this! It would be _so_ against Team Aqua's rules that-"

"It doesn't matter. I'm trying to protect our team to prevent the Blue Orb falling into the wrong hands. Stop panicking." Tara was always the type who would resort to worrying about everything. I decided to quiet her down; that way, I wouldn't get caught and she would finally calm down. "There's no need to worry."

I tapped Frost's back and she dived down, submerging us in the water. The water rippling against me sent chills up my spine, but I had to get the Blue Orb, or Team Aqua would suffer for it. I pulled at Frost to urge her to swim faster.

After running my hands through the sand, I noticed the glint of the Orb. Frost pushed it up and then balanced it on her nose for a while. I snatched it from her and quickly stashed it into a plastic bag. "Now isn't the time to play, Frost."

Lights flashed. Alarms sounded.

I peered up towards the surface. Beyond the ripples of the water, I noticed the grunt heading off somewhere. Just what did she think she was doing?

I frantically patted Frost's neck to return to the surface. I pulled myself onto the platform, calling my Sealeo to return to her Poké Ball. All I could do now was run.


	9. Chapter 9: Groundwork

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

My walk was slow, casual, almost a meander. I was in no hurry whatsoever. Only those with business are in a hurry. I had no business here; I was just passing through, enjoying the scenery.

I suppose I was _technically_ on an assignment, and _technically_ I was supposed to investigate an abandoned warehouse. Perhaps it was the fact that I was sporting plain clothing, or maybe it was the peaceful atmosphere, whatever it was only made me even more determined to take my time.

Dewford Town was the very picture of typical towns. It had a Pokémon Center for non-human medical needs, a shop for wandering trainers, and even a separate shop for trainers that had taken root in the locality. I was familiar with the area, quite familiar actually.

Maybe if I were more honest with myself, I would say that I was walking down more than road at one time. Memory lane seemed to greet me with open arms, never bothering to tell me about its recent construction work. Places that were imprinted in my childhood nostalgia were replaced with cheap convenience stores and restaurants. Maybe I was viewing the world through old eyes, but it seemed that asphalt had invaded the grass's territory.

Maybe my saunter wasn't slowed because I was mocking my authorities, maybe I was soaking in the changes. My mind was wrapping around the concept of my childhood home being changed without me. It almost felt like an attack against my past, though the offense was never from a specific source, so I had no place to vent my frustration.

Perhaps I was just being too emotional over a stupid town, but the place was always sacred to me. I guess I placed it on a shelf and expected it to simply collect dust.

I made me wonder how much the people had changed too, not that I really wanted to find out. There were only a few individuals that stuck in my mind, and every one of them would disapprove of my career choice. I suppose that was reason enough to quicken my pace, as to avoid being spotted. I had to make sure not to look too suspicious when doing so, as that could-

"Oof!"

I wasn't looking where I was going, and ran into someone. Perhaps I was too busy looking at the new houses. I turned to apologize to the individual I had bumped into.

"Sorry about that. I..."

My voice trailed off when I recognized the person. She was one of my old school teachers. She was rather young when she took position, so she was probably in her forties by now. I could only hope she didn't recognize me. I put a hand to my face, trying to make it look natural.

"Don't worry about it."

She smiled warmly, "You new in town?"

"Yeah," I said, tilting my head down to avoid eye contact.

"It seems I am. I'm fine though. Good to see you're not hurt."

I started to walk past her.

"Do I know you? You seem awfully familiar."

I just kept moving, pretending not to hear her.

"Were you a student of mine? I could swear you look just like Jonathan."

The sound of my name being spoken by an old teacher almost made me lose my rhythm. Of all the students in her class, I was the only name she would have to repeat every day. Whenever there was trouble in her classroom, I was always there, somehow involved. Naturally I would be in cahoots with another student, so I could shift the blame over to him or her.

"I'm sorry. I don't know who you're talking about."

My legs began speed-walking on their own, carrying me away from another reminder of my past. She was just one of the leftovers of my history, having served her purpose. There was no need to engage in conversation with obsolete relics.

I found a warehouse was on the edge of town, just far enough from the public eye to remain inconspicuous. It was one of many new installments to the landscape, as well as the guards posted around the area. They appeared as welcoming as the plague, and just as deadly too._ Lovely_.

No one puts guards in front of an abandoned warehouse. It would be a waste of manpower. There had to be something inside, something people wanted to keep away from greedy fingers. Something just waiting to be stolen.

Maybe it wasn't my job to steal from the building. But what did Maxie think I was going to do? Get in, get out, give information? If he wanted me to do that, he would have sent a more loyal member of the crew. No, he wanted me to rob the place blind, or he was just incredibly stupid. I really couldn't decide.

I reached down to my belt. My fingers curled around the resting place of the most valuable member of my team. I pulled out the device and tossed it into the air.

"Come on out, Pincha!"

A bright red beam materialized into the form of a clawed beast. The monster slashed the air eagerly, as if facing an invisible opponent. Then she looked up at me, awaiting a command. I got down on one knee and stooped down to her level.

"Are you ready for a new job, Pincha?"

The Weavile nodded, lifting a claw into the air.

"Good, then let's go," I said, pointing to the warehouse, "I can smell treasure."

**Author's Note: Just as an interesting fact, Pincha was caught in an Ultra Ball and Jonathan's Camerupt was caught in a Great Ball. Camerupt was originally captured as a Numel and Pincha used to be a Sneasel.**


	10. Chapter 10: Reunion

**Chapter written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

Frost carried me across the water from the hideout as we made our way to Lilycove City; it was the nearest city to the hideout. I had to try and make it to Dewford Town as soon as possible. For now, I could hide the orb with my father. He'd be sure to keep after it, just like Mom would have done. She dreamed of this orb as much as the whole of Team Aqua did, and I wasn't going to risk letting her dreams fall into the wrong hands.

* * *

The journey from Lilycove to Dewford was rather tedious. I had to stop off and purchase a few items at the Lilycove Department Store to keep my team and me in top condition. It felt wonderful to eat something other than soggy cornflakes for once. It wasn't often that I had the time to go out and explore for a while, unless I was out on a mission to steal some random kid's Pokémon which, most of the time, resulted in weak, useless Wurmple.

I leaned over the side of Mr. Briney's ferry, the cool ocean water spraying my face. Sara placed her paws over the side, staring into the seas and growling when the water got in her eyes. After a short while, she whimpered to me.

"We'll be fine," I whispered, opening the bag so that Sara could peek inside at the orb. "I know where we can store this safely."

Sara lowered her head in sadness. She kept looking in the direction of the Aqua Hideout.

"We probably won't be going back there for a while. Just focus on the journey ahead, okay?"

* * *

Once we arrived at Dewford Town, Sara took some time out to roll about in the sand. I decided to let Razer out for a while, but all he did was sleep. It was good to be back.

I heard an odd rumbling noise. Sara growled and pointed into, what looked like, empty space. I looked in her direction and she was pointing to a vague person in the distance, who seemed to be dressed in red. Due to living all of her life knowing to go after that color every time she saw it, she had a habit of wanting to go after the wrong people.

"It's not a member of Team Magma, Sara," I said to her. "Not everyone wearing the color red is part of their team. Just calm down and stay relaxed, okay?"

I headed towards the house, hoping that my father still lived there. I pulled gently at Sara's collar to get her to come along. She was still agitated by seeing the stranger.

"It was probably just someone wearing a red top, Sara," I said to her. "Didn't look much like Team Magma to me."

I gently knocked on the door, and an old man answered. He had matted dark hair, glittered with gray, big brown eyes and dark skin. It was him. Yep, it was Harold, alright.

"No! I'm not ready to die yet!"

"Calm down, silly," I chuckled, shutting the door and pulling my hood down so I looked less like the Grim Reaper. His eyes dilated and he gasped.

"Lacie, sweetie!" He let out a jolly laugh and embraced me tightly in his arms. "I was wondering if I'd ever see you again! How's it going?"

_Sweetie. _As much as I loved good old Dad, I wished he'd remember that I'm not a child anymore. I'm twenty-three, not _ten._

"Well…it's not terrible, but not great. I'm just glad to be back."

I sat at the table and he handed me a bar of chocolate. The room didn't look much different to how I remembered it-the curtains hanging loosely above the window; the photograph of me, Harold and Mum; and the same old lingering smell of Zigzagoon. Harold had always loved his little brown ball of fluff, but it seemed that Paws wasn't as energetic as he used to be. He was also a Linoone now; I didn't think Harold would have ever bothered trying to evolve him.

Harold couldn't believe how much the Poochyena he gave me had grown over the years. Sara seemed to enjoy his company. Amongst being overjoyed about seeing him again, I was still panicking a little. I knew that Team Aqua would be on the lookout for me soon. I was hoping that the Grunt that was feeding the fish can come up with a good cover-up. However, she was a Grunt, and most of the Grunts I knew had the brains of Magikarp.

"How are all of your other Pokémon doing?"

"One second, Dad…D'you mind doing me a favor? I need you to keep after this for me."

I slowly opened the bag and, when he saw it, his eyes glittered like the jewel itself.


	11. Chapter 11: Returning to Earth

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

"Alright. I think I've got this all planned out."

I had made a crude drawing of the warehouse, which along with projected security guard placement and visuals for camera scopes, looked pretty muddied. Considering the fact that I was using only a stick and some loose dirt, it was a fine piece of work, even if I do say so myself.

"The main means of entrance will be through burrowing. Camerupt will handle that with his Dig attack. The special agent will use his own method of breaching the walls."

Pincha nodded. She was smart enough to already know who I was referring to. Actually, she was extremely smart. That was the only reason I bothered explaining my plans to her. It was mutually beneficial for us to divulge the plans, as it would allow her to adapt to unexpected situations should such events occur.

"You will have to reinforce the walls and top of the tunnel we create with your Icy Wind, making sure the ice you create is durable enough to allow the entire squad through. We won't be using the tunnel to escape though, so the ice you create will flood the entire system with water, making it difficult to traverse through, at least difficult enough that our entrance point will not be given away."

The Weavile kept this information stored in her head. Her eyes were fixed on the drawing I created, memorizing it as if it were holy scriptures.

"This warehouse is the standard model made by Metis Enterprises. It contains two floors and a basement, which is where most of the pack-and-stack storage resides. Security is minimal and cameras are often nonexistent. For this assignment, we'll use the less-than-standard approach, Splitting Breach. For that to work, I'll need every member of this team to pull their weight."

Pincha knew I wasn't attacking her reliability. I had a Ninjask named Nimble who, though proven invaluable, also proved himself to be a liability. It didn't help much that he was a practicing show-off and self-proclaimed comedian.

"This mission cannot be compromised, so use any necessary means to disarm any unlucky guards. If you're going to slice someone up, aim for the legs and let Houndoom handle the rest."

I received an approving nod.

"We will have to burst through solid concrete, so we'll use the fire and ice method. Camerupt uses his Flame Burst, and you your Icy Wind. The sudden changes in temperature should cause the material to be brittle enough to be muscled through with Houndoom's Strength. Then he'll flood the air with his Smog attack. We move in quickly, grab the stuff and bolt. The special agent should have neutralized most of the guards, but we'll have to remain on our toes."

I pointed to a spot down the hill.

"That's where we'll begin digging. Since the goal isn't to avoid detection, we won't have to pull off an elaborate cover-up for the hole. Once we have what we need, we're skipping out of town and not looking back. Our exit will simply be the front door, as the two outside guards will be handled once we've reached that stage."

I sighed. The plan was a bit shaky, but I didn't have time to obtain any Intel, so I was going out on a whim. Actually, the whole idea was sounding incredibly stupid. I was unnecessarily risking my life, just because I was curious about what the warehouse contained. Not my brightest idea.

"You got all that, Pincha?"

Pincha put a claw up in salute. She knew the procedure well enough. We had actually done something like this before, but that was in our early days, back when she was a Sneasel. It didn't end well though, as we were nearly caught. Thankfully Pincha's fighting spirit had "activated" so we left a bloody trail in our wake. Maybe the guards were just doing their job, but Pincha was doing hers. I did _not_ want a repeat of last time. I'm not exactly a soft person, but seeing that violent display made me sick.

Maybe Pincha was mentally stronger than I was, but I hate watching ligaments being torn off. She was absolutely savage then, and hasn't changed since. I sometimes had to hold that Pokémon on a leash to prevent her from going too far. There was no limit to her ruthlessness.

I'm just glad that she's on _my_ side.

"Alright then. Let's do this."

I pulled out another ball and tossed it into the air. The nameless terror formed before me, silently awaiting my command. Using my left arm, I casually gestured to the warehouse.

"Do you see that building? I want you to render every person there, inside and out, harmless. Do not kill them."

The monster cast its empty gaze at the imposing structure. Then it began moving to its destination, never once asking for clarification. It understood its task quite well. It wouldn't fail me. It never did.

I grabbed the rest of the capsules and released the final members of my team. Camerupt, Houndoom, and Nimble the Ninjask, all appeared before me, excited to finally get some action. It was good that we weren't standing in the middle of the town, or we would have drawn a lot of attention to ourselves. Nimble started annoying Houndoom right away, as if making up for lost time. The dog barked loudly. I had to physically step between the two of them to prevent further conflict.

"Guys, this is an actual mission. I'm counting on you to pull us through. One mistake and we're goners, you understand?"

They both looked at me. I guess since they don't speak, I'd have to assume they understood well enough.

"Alright, Camerupt!"

I pointed to a spot of soft earth.

"Dig! We're going into that warehouse, and we're not coming back without its valuables!"

Camerupt stomped over to the dirt patch and began burrowing. The others simply watched him, some covering their faces to protect against the flying soil. It was difficult to believe that a hoofed creature could dig so quickly or efficiently.

"Houndoom! Nimble! You're watching our backs! Make sure that no one follows behind us. If you see anyone, I want the two of you to take that person down. Then drag him or her down here. We'll need a hostage as insurance anyway."

Houndoom gave a short bark, signaling his comprehension.

I reached into my jacket and pulled out a gas mask. I put it onto my face, just in case Houndoom had to use his smog attack early. Besides, there wouldn't be much room to move around in, and I might not have enough space to reach into my jacket and grab it.

Pincha and I followed behind Camerupt, and Houndoom and Nimble followed behind _us_. To some, it might have appeared rather humorous, as a caravan of fools crawling through the dirt and ice. To the trained observer, we were professional thieves sneaking into a dangerous facility.

Well, maybe we were both.

**Author's Note: For the sake of clarity, here is a short list of Jonathan's Pokémon:**

**Camerupt**

**Houndoom**

**Pincha the Weavile**

**Nimble the Ninjask**

**The not-so-mysterious monster**


	12. Chapter 12: Seeing Red

**Chapter written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

"My goodness, Lacie!" Harold went to touch it, but I quickly pushed his hand away. I didn't want him getting it covered in fingerprints. I was also very unsure of its powers. "Is that genuine? Where did you find that?"

I was hoping he'd never ask, but of course, it would have been rude of me not to tell my own father.

"Deep in the ocean...where Mum tried to get it…"

Harold lowered his head in despair. I felt my cheeks ache where I was about to let loose a few tears, but I did what I could to hold them back. Just the thought of the stormy waters that time sent a chill down my spine.

I sighed deeply. "I had carry on with what she started, didn't I? Wasn't that what she wanted?"

Harold embraced me tightly and cried on my shoulder. I patted him on the back to try and pacify him, and he eventually let go and smiled.

"Thank you so much, dear." Harold wiped the tears from his eyes and made his way to the kitchen counter to make us something to eat. "Are you sure you want me looking after something as precious as this?"

I smiled. "I'm sure I can count on you. I didn't want it falling into _her_ hands."

Harold could tell by my emphasis on the word who I was talking about. She and my mother used to be in some pretty hefty competition.

"That's a good point." Harold approached the cube-shaped vault he stored his money in and hid the orb inside carefully. "Well, it's good to see you're okay."

Harold laid a plate of fish and chips on the table for the two of us, and we began talking of memories past- most of which I'd rather have forgotten. I noticed a photograph of me, Harold and my mother, along with a newly-hatched Sara, hung above the couch. The joy that raced through my veins when I received my first Pokémon…I could practically feel the exact same feeling over again.

"We've been together for a pretty long time now, haven't we, Sara?"

Sara barked at me, wagging her tail. She sniffed around the house for a while until she seemed to be interested in the couch for some reason or other. She jumped up on it, pawing at the red throw draped over the cushions. She snarled at it. She kept looking towards me, then back to the throw. I think I could tell what she was trying to say.

"Sara, don't worry about that, okay?" I said in a soft voice. "It was nothing. Put it behind you."

Sara had always hated the color red and refused to eat, or even sleep on, anything of that color. I once bought her a red collar and she chewed it right off.

"Don't mind her, Harold. It's just…she thinks she's seen one of _them_. It was just a person dressed in red, but she thinks that-"

"You mean they're in Dewford right now?"

I should've kept my mouth shut. Sara barked loudly, pawing at the window and frightening the playing children outside. Despite my assumption that Sara was just overreacting, there was still every chance of that person being part of Team Magma. Sara was a pretty smart Pokémon, and I'm sure she'd know a Team Magma member if she noticed one. But what would Magma be doing in Dewford?

From what I could remember, Dewford was always a peaceful little town. Then again, time had passed since then. Anything could have changed, and now that I thought of it, quiet towns were our targets; they were often full of weak Trainers that would give up their Pokémon in the blink of an eye, should a member of the so-called 'evil teams' require them.

"I'll be honest with you, Dad…"

I hesitated. "I don't know."

Harold began to panic.

"But you've got nothing to worry about," I said. "If they bother with you, Dad…"

Sara turned her head towards me and lifted her head and tail.

"…I'll do something about them."


	13. Chapter 13: Firm Foundations

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

"Houndoom!" I shouted through my gas mask, "Strength!"

With gnashing teeth, Houndoom lowered his head. Then, in a massive burst of energy, jumped up to smash the brittle concrete with its shoulders.

The floor above cracked and gave way, sprinkling ash-like powder on the company.

"Smog! Now!"

Thick, violet smoke shot from his mouth, settling into the once-breathable air. The cloud spread out, covering the room with its toxins.

I crawled out of the pit and got on my feet. My crew dashed out from behind me, growling and buzzing with excitement and fury. It was time to begin my characteristic ransacking of the nearest containers.

Through the dense haze, I could feel a wooden crate. It would have to do.

"Pincha!"

The Weavile already knew what I wanted. She didn't need to be asked twice. She dashed through the smog and slashed at the box I was pointing to. Her claws were a blur of sharpened steel, ripping through the top like a wood-chipper, shredding its very substance. As the splintering wood cried out in agony, I could begin to see the treasure chest's innards.

They shone like valuable gems, glinting even in the darkened, smoggy room. My jaw dropped. I put my hand over my mask, too startled to believe what I was seeing. There had to be a mistake.

Pincha stepped back, also clearly surprised. She didn't reveal it on her face, but it was apparent to me that she was feeling the same confusion. I kicked the box with my foot, spilling the contents on the floor. Dozens of large, marble-like objects rolled on the concrete floor, clinking as they impacted steel frames.

Panting, I grabbed a sphere and pressed it against my mask. It couldn't be what I thought it was.

It was a blue orb. There must have been dozens of them scattered about. And that was just one box. Hundreds of boxes lined the walls, organized tidily atop sturdy shelves. There were more orbs, all of them just like the one I held in my trembling hands.

I shoved the orb in to my red jacket and peered through the dissipating smoke for Camerupt.

"Camerupt! I need you to use earthquake! Just a small one!"

There was an affirmative grunt from behind me. The Pokémon smashed its hooves into the ground, growling.

There was a pause. My breathing sounded obnoxiously loud in the otherwise silent room. I quickly hid under and empty shelf, hoping to protect myself from precarious objects that were guaranteed to become hazards. My Pokémon did the same, except Ninjask, who apparently thought he was fast enough to dodge incoming debris.

The first thing that happened was the sound of rattling, like glass clinking against glass. It was a toast to future chaos, and its late departure as well.

The noise picked up, eventually rising into a hysteria of shuddering marbles. The steel frames groaned and heaved, but stood solid under the pressure.

Then it all stopped. Only the echoes of my breathing could be heard above the tension in the air. The smog curled and billowed, like a candle's flame exposed to the wind. It was almost as if it could anticipate what came next. I know _I_ certainly could.

The initial wave was just a signal of the actual quake. A couple rattling crates was nothing, not compared to the destruction that would follow.

The ground beneath me violently shook back and forth, throwing me off balance. I clung to the metal pole as if my life depended on it, because it just might.

I should have been used to the move's effects. I should have become tempered with repetition, but no, I couldn't get used to having the ground become a twisted carnival ride, a ride that tore apart structures, demolishing the once-familiar environment more efficiently than time itself could ever hope to. There are some things that even familiarity couldn't diminish in potency.

My Pokémon had scrunched up into balls, some protecting their heads with paws or claws, others gripping stable objects nearby. Ninjask was enjoying our suffering, buzzing around the room as if to show off its blessing of flight. Even in my shaken and distraught shape, I felt no animosity toward him or his actions. It was likely just a coping method to prevent himself from panicking. He had just as much reason to fear. Even the air is not friendly when the earth is angry.

I could hear the crates scrap against their resting places, readjusting with new movement, shifting into less sturdy positions. A few boxes were already coming perilously close to falling.

The floor sputtered, throwing itself and me in its indignation. My head hit the metal pole, creating a hollow echo. I shrugged it off, though the ringing in my ears began to come back.

I heard a screeching noise. Bolts were being challenged. Nature began bashing heads with engineering, and chose this basement as the battlefield.

Then the first crate fell, smashing against the concrete. The wood split, gutting itself open with its own weight. A solitary blue ball found its way out of the wreckage of its old home. Its friends were sure to follow.

Another crate fell. And another. There was a great waterfall of fine china, shattering against the unforgiving rocks. Shards of glass leaked out of boxes, freeing themselves with each great tremor. Orbs rolled across the floor, chasing each other in a game of catch.

There were blue orbs, yes, and red orbs too, just like the one I possessed. All of them caught up in the roller coaster ride with me. Most of them wouldn't survive the orb massacre.

A box fell right in front of me, landing in with a _thud_. I retracted my feet a bit, reducing myself to the fetal position. Thankfully I could feel the quake slowing, finally releasing its steam it had pent up.

I took a quick scan of the room. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was. There were cracks traveling up the walls and across the floor, but it wasn't anything beyond what structural instability couldn't cause over time, given uneven settling. The crate count was minimal, numbering a couple dozen, though a few were hanging dangerously close to their gravity exits.

The smog had begun being replaced by a chalk-like substance that filled the air. I was just grateful that I had a gas mask. Unlike Pokémon, my lungs could become permanently injured with toxic fumes. Pokémon could shrug off bodily harm with potions or healing sprays. Death was a scarcity to them, as they were prone to faint and return to their trainer's storage containers after taking serious damage. That didn't mean such a thing was beyond them, though.

The initial tremors had ceased completely. I cautiously poked my head out of my hiding place. I didn't trust the peace any more than I did before the quake. There were always follow-ups, not as serious as their predecessors, but not to be trifled with by any stretch of the imagination. It would be enough to knock over those storage containers that half-heartedly jumped off the cliff, and ended up balancing on the edge, for example.

That meant I still had to watch my head, even if the worst was over.

My Pokémon were unharmed, though terrified. Even Camerupt, who had its proverbial fingerprints on this artwork, was still looking to me for comfort. I could provide none at the moment. I had greater concerns, such as preserving my life, which came much higher on my list of priorities.

I peered out like a whack-a-mole, with surprising courage despite the obvious danger above. But, just like those poor moles, I still had enough reserve to quickly retreat.

Seeing that the coast was clear, I dashed out, stepping around the graveyard of glass and wood. When I was a safe distance from all of the shelves, I bent down and picked up one of the red orbs.

I searched it over for cracks or dents. I had the whole warehouse to choose from, I could be picky. I had plenty of time; the guards upstairs would be occupied with disaster recovery, management of technology, and guaranteeing the safety of other guards. None of them would think about hurrying to downstairs, not if they believed that the place was secure. Inventory inspection would come later, but by then it would be too late.

I felt the cold surface, enjoying the smooth texture with my hand. It felt sturdy enough to fool anyone, anyone that hasn't seen the real deal, at least.

The red orb looked similar to the one I had, except it didn't brighten when I held it. It was the difference between embracing a human and a corpse. One was comforting, its imitation was cold and lifeless. I could not see fire buried beneath the glass, I just saw artificial pigmentation to give a red appearance.

I put the orb in my other jacket pocket for safekeeping. A fake orb would be immensely useful, even if I possessed the real one.

My Pokémon began exiting from their locations. Ninjask was buzzing about angrily in the dissipating smoke, laughing to itself as it had flown above the disaster area and avoided even a scratch. Little Invictus over there needed to be careful. He could dig himself into a pit that even his wings couldn't carry him out of.

Camerupt smiled at me, as if expecting some sort of congratulations for its handiwork. I patted its head, still on edge. He did a good job, I had to give him that. I couldn't imagine what sort of destruction he could cause if he intended to, not that he was intelligent enough to think about doing so without me commanding him.

The hound was pissed off that he was put through that. He was usually safe in his Poké Ball during those times, so the experience was somewhat new to him. He projected his anger at Camerupt, who was oblivious to the murder in his eyes.

Weavile, the most serious among them was giving me the look, as if to say, "Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders, too lazy to give the complete answer. I could tell her later.

In short though, it was so that the whole thing looked like a freak accident. It's impossible to take inventory of stolen items in a disaster zone, and any new entrances and exits would be caved in and made to look like structural breakage. Even better, my "secret weapon" would guarantee that I would never be seen, so it was almost the perfect crime.

Almost.

**Author's Note: I've been trying to give a unique personality to each of Jonathan's Pokémon, to ****make them more like characters rather than simply tools. For the sake of transparency, I don't mind saying that I'm personally a fan of Weavile, probably because she's the most senior member of the crew, and is possibly the most reliable. Her "darker" side also intrigues me, and is certain to be explored later.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Sea of Rubble

**Chapter written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

Night fell over sleepy Dewford. I sprawled out on the couch and attempted to make sense of a strange old movie on the TV. Sara was curled up just by my feet, silently snoozing. Harold seemed to have fallen asleep in his armchair. I wished I could've forgotten the day's problems as well as he always did, but I couldn't. Waves of questions flowed through my mind.

Would anyone find the orb? Archie must've found out about the fish tank incident by now; what had Tara told him? Had she told him a lie, or had she decided to grass me up? Were Team Magma really in Dewford? It all seemed so suspicious to me. Team Magma just happened to be in Dewford when a Team Aqua member and Blue Orb are present…It all seemed to tie together somehow.

Sara howled towards the ceiling, seemingly alerting us of something. The Linoone scratched at the floor, staring at Harold every now and then.

"Are you worried about that guy in the red again, Sara?"

Sara's howls became more desperate, and she pawed violently at the floor, as Paws was doing.

"What's going on?"

Rumbles sounded. The floor vibrated a little, and the vibrations gradually grew into more of a tremor. I grabbed Harold to wake him.

"Huh? What's happening?"

"Hold still. I think there's an earthquake or something on the way!"

I kept a tenacious grip on the armchair. Various items in the room began to tremble, the mugs slipping off of the kitchen counter and smashing as they hit the floor. Sara clung on to the arm of the couch with her claws.

After a few minutes, the tremors began to die down gradually. I was glad we'd survived, since I was expecting something much worse. The same couldn't be said for Harold's crockery, though. The shock on his wrinkly face was beginning to melt into an emotionless expression.

"…Oh my."

Sara leapt over to me and pawed at my leg. I patted her head to calm her down.

"What caused that?"

"Well, to me, it didn't seem strong enough for it to be a natural earthquake. Maybe there's a Pokemon battle going on somewhere near here," I said to him.

Sara seemed extremely on-edge, her eyes flitting from the vault containing the orb to the floor every few seconds. She made her way to the window and put her front paws on it, sliding them down the glass and covering it in her paw prints.

"One sec, Dad…"

I quickly went upstairs to change my clothes; if I were to be in some area of danger, I didn't want anyone assuming I was the cause. It could have been a building crashing down, for all I knew. Team Aqua member around a fallen building? They'd instantly assume I was the culprit, maybe that I was even some sort of a terrorist. Dressing regularly would let me blend in with the regular citizens better.

As I was walking down the stairs, I heard Harold call my name.

"Lacie! Where are you off to now?"

"Dad, I'll be fine. I'm just going to check on what's going on."

"But what if you-"

"Dad…"

Harold nodded. "Okay, but be careful."

Even though I was no longer a child, he still panicked a lot if I went out places. He assumed that if anything could happen out there, then it'd happen to me.

* * *

"Sara, you need to calm down, okay? You panic too much. As long as we're together, you'll be alright. Alright?"

Sara kept her eyes on the sand, peeking back at the paw prints she left behind. I could hear a growing din of people chattering amongst each other- something to do with 'fallen down'.

I noticed children running around the area. It was a waste of time asking small children what was going on. I wouldn't have received a straight answer- probably just lies and tongues being poked out at me. Knowing Sara wouldn't appreciate that, it wasn't worth risking one of the Dewford kids receiving a nasty bite.

I followed where the kids kept running off to and came to a massive pile of rubble, decorated with bits of wood and metal.

"What happened here?" I asked a woman next to me. She looked familiar, but older than I must've remembered her being.

She stared into my face as she spoke. "The warehouse collapsed. The guards say they haven't come across anyone who's trapped yet, but there's probably someone in there."

Hefty-looking Machoke helped the guards clear the rubble. There was an odd smell in the air- a combination of dry earth and freshly-cut wood.

"Do I remember you from somewhere?"

I looked back to the old woman. "I'm not sure. You seem familiar."

She nodded. "Ah, I remember you! Lacie Meer, my old student. Remember? You were always so eager in your Pokemon Breeding classes. You had always dreamed of being a breeder…So, what are you doing nowadays?"

Damn. I couldn't tell her. I vividly remember the way Miss Johnson would ramble on and on about how Team Aqua and Magma were a waste of time and not worth joining, should anyone have mentioned that they were interested in doing so.

"I'm doing just that," I said, rubbing Sara's head. Luckily, she played along and wagged her tail.

"Well, that's wonderful! You know, I even saw Jonathan earlier today."

"Jonathan? You mean Jonathan Heist?" I chuckled. "Oh, Arceus... I remember him all too well. Always thinking he knew more than the teachers, always playing tricks on people and not giving a damn."

Memories of my old student days soon filled my head. Whenever Jonathan disagreed with the teacher's opinion, the whole class had to be aware of that. There was always so much class time wasted on his useless debates with Miss Johnson.

"I wonder what he's doing now?"


	15. Chapter 15: From Dust

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

"I'm getting out of here. Follow me."

With two fake orbs held comfortably in my jacket, I could be certain that I was at a diplomatic advantage during negotiations. I could simply whip out a fake whenever the need provided. I might even auction off the Blue Orb's copy after the Red Orb was placed in poorer hands.

Houndoom and Camerupt followed close behind me, silently supporting me whichever direction I wished to take them. Nimble and Pincha, the Ninjask and Weavile respectively, decided to stay behind and explore. Nimble, who could never stay in one place for longer than his body would allow, kept shifting his attention from object to object in an attempt to diminish its boredom. Pincha was simply applying her well-practiced art of ignoring group migrations.

After knowing the two of them for so many years, I knew that they would never change. Nimble was always searching for excitement, and Pincha was always avoiding it. It was probably why they never even looked at each other. Nimble only tried annoying her once- just once. I had to forcefully prevent her from ripping off one of his legs shortly afterward.

Thankfully she was still a Sneasel back then, so her greatest attribute was her speed, not her deadly claws, even if they were still fatal to the flesh. That was the only reason I even attempted to separate them, or I would have let the bug get his just desserts.

It's strange though; she's always held me in high regards and, surprisingly, has never turned against me, even when she felt it would be justified. Perhaps such confidence was thanks to our beginnings together. It was only thanks to that mutual trust that we even survived through that ordeal.

That's not to say that my other Pokémon didn't trust me, but there's a major difference between a mindless trust founded only in familiarity and the deep trust formed between two humans who've gone to Hell and back. In a weird way, Pincha was that friend I've always needed. She was always by my side, except when there were other Pokémon to help me. Then she remained cold and distant, but not out of jealousy, but more of an aversion to being associated with my other Pokémon.

As usual, I left the two stragglers to fulfill their inner mojo or whatever they did when abstaining from group traveling. I knew they would follow behind at a comfortable distance.

My boots crushed glass underfoot, making loud scraping sounds with each heavy step. They were caked with a thin layer of mud, thanks to my journey in the underground tunnel. Thus, my feet made slightly squishy noises whenever I walked, and I was certain that I was leaving behind a trail.

I gripped the iron railing in front of me for support, mostly psychological support than physical. Carefully leaning my weight on the first step, I began my careful ascent up the metal stairway. My Pokémon followed a safe distance behind me, imitating my awkward trek like children imitating their father's walk.

The stairs began creaking, clearly angry at me for forcing so much weight on it. Camerupt was far too heavy for even metal to hold without proper support.

"Return, Camerupt!" I called holding up his Poké Ball. There was a brief flash of light, followed by a loud electronic noise. The Camerupt disappeared, instantly transferred into the small container I casually held between my thumb and forefinger. The capsule's weight never increased, despite holding more mass than twice my body.

I placed the ball securely on my belt, whispering a little apology to my Pokémon that was unable to join us for the rest of our adventure. He did his part, so there was no point in letting him stick around, though I'm sure he still wanted to. He was quite literally dead weight to me.

With Camerupt gone, the stairs were able to readjust to more natural positions, and abstained from their dreadful groaning. The ground I stood upon felt more stable when it wasn't in danger of collapsing.

I reached the exit, which was clearly marked with a sign that was supposed to light up, but had long-forgotten that original purpose. It seemed to hint that the room I was leaving was supposed to be forgotten, at least for the time being. Maintenance was clearly not important, not for a place that was likely supposed to be secret.

I gripped the cold doorknob, turning it slowly. When I felt it lock into an open position, I pushed on the door. Houndoom stood beside me, waving his long, skinny tail as a Meowth would as it watches traffic. He was waiting for a chance to gnaw on something, be that a leg or any unprotected body part of the unlucky person who stood in his path.

I leaned my weight into moving the door. It barely budged. Something had to be holding it closed, whether that was a heavy object, or something jamming it, only brute force would be able to push it.

"Are you ready, Houndoom?"

The dog shifted his weight to his back legs to prepare for an attack. He was clearly ready.

"Use Strength!"

Giving an enthusiastic howl, he pounced, rushing the metal door with indescribable fury. In a blur of black fur, he smashed into the door. A loud echo resonated in the room. A grinding sound ensued, followed by a crash and the splintering noise of wood giving way.

The door was freed, at least enough for sunlight to get through. Dust swirled, choreographed like dancers in a ball. I had to blink to adjust to the new light which came pouring in, invading the once-dim atmosphere. I was glad I had brought a mask, since wouldn't dare to breathe the air.

Houndoom slipped through the slightly open doorway, growling as his bloodthirsty canine nature urged him to hunt down some fresh meat.

I sucked in my gut and jammed my body into the opening, falling over as I slipped through. The sunlight was unbearable now. How long had I been down there? It couldn't have been too long, so why was it so hard to see?

A thought hit me. There shouldn't be any sunlight here. I just came from the basement, so I should be on the first floor. I shouldn't be outside. I'm supposed to be in the warehouse.

For the first time, I started noticing how chaotic of a place I was standing in. Metal frames were reaching for the heavens, but seemed to be supporting nothing at all. Pieces of wood, plastic, and even sheet metal were splayed on the ground in heaps.

I put a hand up to my visor, sort of checking the state of reality. My palms were sporting a couple cuts and splinters, but beyond that they were healthy. They were normal, and even hurt a bit. I wasn't dreaming.

Did that mean that... Camerupt's Earthquake...?

"Camerupt, you idiot! You've destroyed the whole warehouse!"

I didn't know if he could hear me, but it certainly made me feel better. The stupid thing probably couldn't understand me anyway, judging by the way he acted sometimes.

I glanced back at my party. Pincha and Nimble were taking in the scenery, while Houndoom began sticking his nose in the rubble, searching for someone. He must have discovered something though, because he immediately began barking.

I sighed, still angry at the incompetence of my Pokémon, and ran to see what he was looking at.

When I got closer, I could see it- an arm sticking out of the pile of the debris. It twitched. That meant the person was still alive, and that meant there would be people looking for him, which would only be a danger to me.

Grunting as I did so, I began pushing aside some of the plywood. Everything that was holding this person down was surprisingly light, so much so that I began to wonder how a person could get trapped beneath such flimsy sheets.

When I brushed aside the last chunk of hardware, I quickly saw why the person was incapable of moving. It wasn't the earthquake that got to him, it was that Pokémon I sent.

The guard's face was a contorted, frozen in a moment of insufferable agony. His arms and legs were stiff with fear, twitching sporadically. His eyes were clamped tightly, as if his eyelids were sowed shut to prevent them from opening. There was no doubt about it- he was paralyzed, trapped in a world of horrors only known in the darkest recesses of his mind. He was having a nightmare, one that was killing him from the inside out.

In his hand, he clutched a Poké Ball, holding it as his only source of comfort. It was quite pathetic really, the way he held that ball as if it were his best friend. He wasn't even attempting to throw it, he just kept it close to him, like its presence was enough to soothe his pain.

I laughed. Whatever was in that Poké Ball, it had to be a loyal ally. That was just the kind of Pokémon I needed. Might as well snag a new member of the team. No one would ever know, not as long as I had the wreckage shielding me.

Lifting my muddy boot up, I stomped on the man's wrist. He groaned in pain, and I could swear I saw a few tears well up in his eyes. But his grip weakened, unable to withstand my weight smashing on his arm.

I bent down, still leaning on the guard's wrist, and snatched the ball from his grasp. Then I released the pressure, letting his hand return to its normal frozen state.

Underneath the mask, I giggled softly at the thought of a new ally. I could only imagine what sort of creature I had just obtained.

**Author's Note: In case this point has not been made obvious, the move used on the guard was in fact Nightmare. It can only affect someone that is asleep, so it is impractical to have without proper sleep-inducing support. When used though, it can be devastating to humans and creatures alike.**


	16. Chapter 16: Shark-Infested Waters

"Hang on one second- Who's that crawling out of the wreckage?"

A hand reached out from the rubble, and another hand followed, containing a regular Poké Ball. A proud-looking canine Pokémon leapt out of the dust, shaking its fur clean. It lifted its head, its menacing horns protruding into the air. I even noticed Sara put her tail between her legs for a second, but she quickly lifted her head and stood proudly.

A young man in a jacket arose from the mess, brushing the dust from his pants. His hair was brown, matted, somewhat-short hair sticking out all over the place like the tendrils of a Tangela. Unlike the others rescued from the wreckage, since they seemed completely shook-up by the event, he just made his way unflinchingly from the rubble, as if he was just walking out of a coffee shop or something.

There also seemed to be something bulging in his deep jacket pockets. Maybe he'd found some kind of treasure hidden in that warehouse? Everyone else seemed pretty confused as to how he managed to escape such a thing.

"How did he survive that?"

"Is he okay?"

"That's odd."

Upon closer inspection, I noticed something uncanny. This man looked like an older version of the person Miss Johnson and I were just discussing. I could see it in her eyes that she recognized him as well- the way the memories circling her mind lit up her eyes.

"That's Jonathan, isn't it?" She adjusted her glasses. "It must be. I could've sworn I saw him earlier."

Sara continued to lower her eyes at the approaching Houndoom, and it seemed to be making the same expression back to her.

"Well,well,well," I said, in a rather deadpan tone. "Haven't seen you in a long time."

He stopped for a second, tilting his head slightly and shooting me a confused look. "Huh? Do I know you?"

I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more from someone like Jonathan. He could barely remember anything the teachers ever told him.

"Lacie? Remember, from Pokémon Breeding class?"

"Oh, yeah, I think so. You're the nerdy one, right?"

I lowered my eyes at him. " I guess you could say that, yes."

Miss Johnson seemed excited to see him again as she began to talk his ears off, and Jonathan didn't seem at all bothered, just like the old days.

But her words started to lose their meaning; the conversation started to lose its importance. In fact, everything else didn't seem important at all after I saw the other familiar face in the crowd...


	17. Chapter 17: Sea-monkey

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

Lacie... an acquaintance that I could never relate to. She was always pushing herself, acting like she had something to prove to the world. Unlike me, she could relate to her Pokémon and communicate with them as equals.

Somehow, the noise those animals made meant something to her. To me, they sounded like the babbling of an idiot- just like when Miss What's-her-face spoke. It was simply wind passing through teeth, and gross-looking teeth at that.

I should have kept my mask on.

"It's been so long! What have you been doing Jonathan? You just disappeared without a single goodbye!"

I shrugged my shoulders, an action dismissive enough to demonstrate my level of enthusiasm. I'd leave it up to her to figure out what that meant.

Her wrinkled face showed no signs of letting it go. It had been far too long, and she wanted to know all about me before I disappeared again. Perhaps, according to her logic, if she asked enough questions, I would end up answering one of them.

"What are you doing back on the island? Have you come to visit your family? They really miss you, you know."

I'll bet they do. Good riddance.

"I'm sure all of the other members of your class would love to see you again. Some of them have stayed in Dewford, and live quite close too."

I nodded, recognizing the statement for what it was- a statement. That meant I wasn't obligated to respond.

Hoping to avoid excessive eye contact (the sort of thing encourages people to keep talking), I glanced down at Houndoom. I expected him to be sniffing around, using that useless nose of his to find out what his butt smelled like. This time, though, he was standing completely rigid, refusing to move a single muscle. His eyes were locked onto a nearby Mightyena, and the two of them seemed to be staring each other down.

Since the mutt was hanging around the nerdy chick, it was relatively safe to assume that it belonged to her. It would be just like her to irresponsibly let pets go wild. She had no control over dumb animals.

"Hey," I said, snapping my fingers to get her attention. "Get your dog away from mine. It's causing trouble."

Her face was clueless, as usual. She hadn't really changed since the Pokémon breeding days. She still kept her dark hair ridiculously long and wild, supposedly to compliment her dark skin and spontaneous personality. _I _knew it was because she was too lazy to cut it.

She was never the brightest bulb, to say the least, so I figured the first time I spoke wouldn't take. I was even preparing to say it again, next time a lot more slowly, but she must have heard me. Without warning, she turned around and began bolting in the opposite direction. She ran so fast, even her Mightyena was struggling to catch up.

"The hell?" was all I could mutter as she barreled through the crowd like a bowling ball, knocking over several pins. I considered following her out of simple curiosity, but then I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye.

A huge, muscular man and his associate saw Lacie's movements, and like a disgruntled Primeape, began charging after her.

Normally I would have cared less about her or the people chasing her, but I recognized the bearded ape. He was the criminal leader of Team Aqua- Archie.

So why would a nerd like her get involved with Team Aqua? Had she interfered with their plans somehow?

Either way, it was a golden opportunity, one that was certain to elude me if I didn't take advantage of it. I needed to strike when the iron was hot.

Not bothering to say farewell to my old childhood headache, I ran after the overgrown baboon.

"Houndoom! Find out where they're heading! Don't let them get away!"

The Pokémon howled in delight, finally allowed to give chase. It was in his nature to run, so he wasted no time in getting started. With the two of us kicking up gravel, we left behind a cloud of dust in our wake.

But that wasn't all that we left behind.

**Author's Note: Because of the over-powered nature of a permanent burn, for the sake of this fan fiction, Houndoom's burns do_ not_ last forever.**


	18. Chapter 18: Rising Wave

**Chapter written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

Fuck! Archie was in Dewford! How the hell did he find me here?

I headed straight for the sandy stretch of beach just behind Granite Cave and dove behind the back of the cave, landing in the sand- not as soft a landing as I'd expected it to be. Sara eventually caught up and she turned to the side, snarling in my boss's direction. I couldn't believe it- the girl by Archie's side when I saw him…

…Was none other than the fish feeder, Tara- the one I assumed I could trust. She was the one who, I thought, would realize that we Grunts had to stick together if we wanted to prove our worth to our boss.

Clearly she was more interested in brown-nosing Archie than she was in helping out a fellow Grunt.

I had no idea what I could do now. Archie knew that my father lived in Dewford- which was probably what brought him here in the first place. If I hid in Granite Cave... no, that was too obvious of a hiding spot. I had no idea where else I could hide- Dewford was a quiet place, and Archie would probably search every single house and every section of the sand just to find me. Come to think of it, there was hardly any escape.

I decided that my best bet was to just go for the cave anyway. I headed in, quick enough so that no-one saw me- which hopefully included Archie. I lit a flashlight when I got deep enough into the cave.

"Be quiet in here, Sara," I whispered. I sprayed some Pokémon repellent around us to avoid any battles with the irritating Pokémon that I knew existed in the caves- mainly the Zubat. "We don't want our voices to echo too much in here- he'd definitely catch us then."

I took out a flashlight and made my way around the cave. The deeper I went into the caves, the less chance Archie had of capturing me. Even if he was likely to explore the caves, I could imagine that he wouldn't go as far as the lowest levels to find me. Then again, given his desperation to get that Orb…

The lingering smell of wet rock was beginning to make me feel sick, and even Sara looked like she couldn't stand it. Given her sense of smell was about ten times as strong as my own, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Something echoed. I turned my flashlight, but I found nothing- only a few stalagmites and some Zubat hanging in rows, sleeping soundly on the cave ceiling. Sara stood perfectly still, ears pricked up.

"So you heard that too, Sara?" I whispered. At first, I assumed it was just a pokémon- the flapping wings of Zubat, or the pitter-patter of the feet of Makuhita- but my paranoia took over and repeated its hiss over and over in my head: _It's them. It's them. It's them. _

Sara's legs stiffened and she remained still, her eyes scanning every corner of the cave for any signs of movement. All of a sudden, she started barking like crazy.

I turned my head.

A blue bat flew towards Sara, mouth agape, and bit her leg. She yelped out in pain.

"Get off, Golbat!" I yelled, attempting to shoo it away with a Repel. However, it seemed that it was determined to stay here and fight.

Surely a wild Pokémon would just flee…

"Golbat! Quick Attack!"

Golbat rose into the air and dove toward Sara at almost-invisible speed. I turned my head towards the voice, noticing what looked like a short man, in a signature outfit of a bandana, blue pants and a black-and-white barred T-shirt that- an outfit all too familiar to someone like me. I should've known Archie would send others after me.

Once the man entered the beam of my flashlight, I recognized him as being one of the Grunts- one of the grunts that I knew to be rather strong, but I couldn't let that deter me. He couldn't have been _that _powerful.

"Sara! Get back!"

I threw out another Poké Ball; I wanted to use some of my weaker Pokémon before I decided to bring out the big guns. The ball hit the floor, releasing a haze of red energy which materialized into a white monkey-like creature, jumping up and down like a hyperactive child on a sugar rush- my Vigoroth, Freya. Golbat may have been quick, but I was sure Freya was quicker.

"Golbat! Use-"

"Focus Energy!"

Freya assumed a pose- probably to help it think- and she closed her eyes.

"- Wing Attack!"

The bat closed its mouth and spread its wings out wide. Freya opened her eyes, but the Pokémon slammed down into the Vigoroth with great power. It seemed the Golbat was a lot stronger than I initially thought it'd be, but a good Trainer didn't just give up straight away. Besides, I had plenty of others to rely on. I put on a deadpan expression, making sure the other Grunt couldn't anticipate my next move, and I stood firmly.

"Freya! Fury Swipes!"

Freya leapt forward, slashing maniacally at the Golbat whilst chuckling at the same time. She looked like some kind of a villain from a horror movie or something.

"Come on, Golbat! Poison Fang!"

The Golbat managed to squirm out of Freya's attack, and chomped on her leg, hanging on tight as the poison leaked into her bloodstream. She roared out in pain, her arms stiffening in an attempt to relieve the agony. Eventually, it seemed the bite had become too much for her, and she fell limply to the ground. I opened up her Poké Ball and returned her; I didn't want her to become harmed any further.

The other man looked rather afraid, despite his apparent advantage in the battle. Maybe he was just a wuss, or maybe he was worried about what Archie would do to him, should he have failed his mission. The Golbat hovered in mid-air, seeming off-balance due to the slices in its wing membranes. Good. We were getting somewhere. I just needed to get one of my teams to add further lacerations to its wings. It would have been rendered useless without them.

"Razer! Get out!"

Razer leapt from the red energy in his ball before the thing even hit the ground. He honed his huge claws against the cave floor, hitting them together to create sparks and then drawing his arms vigorously to the sides. His fighting spirit was almost frightening, and it looked like my opponent was rather frightened of him too.

"Crush Claw!"

Razer dashed on all fours towards the bat, forcing his claws straight through the creature's mouth, the look on his furry face showing relentless. Golbat, desperate to escape, fought before his Trainer had ordered him- closing his fangs down on Razer's arm. He slashed its face and tore his arm from the bat's grip, luckily before the poison had a chance to enter his body.

"Oh, no…" the other Trainer mumbled, staring at his fainted Pokémon and returning it to its ball. It seemed Razer still held a grudge. He leapt on the Trainer, bringing a claw a short breadth from his throat and dragging it across, as if it were some kind of a threat.

"Go on," I said to him. "Go tell your boss that you failed miserably."

He froze for a second, as if worried of his punishment, and fled the cave.

I couldn't flee yet- no doubt that Archie was still lurking around Dewford. I returned Razer to his ball to pacify him, then I released Frost and decided to train her around the cave. There was no doubt that the types in here would struggle up against a Water-and-Ice type.


	19. Chapter 19: Test of Fire

**Chapter edited by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX**

Houndoom had done his job, but strangely enough, the two paths had diverged. Lacie went one way, and the big buffoon went another- leading me to believe that pursuing her wasn't his primary intention.

The boss-man seemed a lot more interested in waving his arms wildly and pointing to a cave. The man was probably insane, but who could blame him? He had a whole criminal organization to keep in line, so the stress had more than likely gone to his head. Just looking at his dumbass face, he probably never had much of a head to begin with, so no loss there.

Still... it might make negotiations pretty intense, knowing that there's a gap of logic somewhere in his mind. One minute we could be having a pleasant exchange about the orbs, and the next moment, he could be yelling his dead wife's name and trying to strangle me. I'm not even sure if he_ has _a dead wife, but he's sure to find one if I don't keep on my toes.

I positioned myself near the cave entrance, behind a conveniently large rock that suitably shielded me from Team Aqua's not-so-watchful eyes. Houndoom was put back into his Poké Ball before he could make a nuisance of himself, as such dogs are inclined to do when you want to hide. I've learned my lesson from more than a few heists that Houndoom was good for three things: scouting, searching, and sentry duty. Beyond that, he was an unreliable creature that was more of a liability than an asset.

Archie had a group of grunts surrounding him like baby chicks surrounding their mother. I'm sure he trained them to be his mindless slaves, his own human Pokémon that he could command with a wave of his hand. Shout the orders, move the monsters. That's the way the brainless beings work, and how evolution decides the have-nots.

I sat there, quietly observing the spineless swarm of inferior beings await their instructions from Heaven. Even the administrators, those that I would think would have a mind of their own, stood there, looking up at the pirate-freak as if he were a golden idol. Each of them held out their Poké Balls, presenting them to their master for him to judge. Several shouts overlapped each other, calling out random names of random creatures. From Golbat to Carvahna they proudly announced the monsters they held, hoping to be picked for something.

At last, Archie seemed to make his decision. He pointed a muscular arm at a short little fellow, and announced in his not-surprisingly-gruff voice.

"_You_! Your Golbat should suffice."

The man beamed, grinning from ear to ear. "I won't let you down, sir. I promise I'll impress you."

Archie chuckled. "I'm sure you will, and if you do, I'll reward you accordingly. Oh, but if you don't... well, letting down the whole team won't go unpunished."

He nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. Failure wasn't an option for him, not unless he wanted to face the... unsavory consequences. That's the way Team Aqua works, I guess. You fail, you pay. Team Magma worked in a similar manner, though thieves were often exempt from this rule, because of the nature of their uncertain work. As a result, grunts were envious of our work, almost as much as they were of administrators'. There wasn't much tension between grunts and thieves, but the inequality was always there, the elephant in the room that the two parties wanted to ignore.

Mr. Tiny waddled up to the cave entrance, and, without looking back, ran inside. The group gave him a quiet cheer, rooting for their friend to make it back after completing whatever task he was assigned.

I was dying to know what that assignment was though. I was just far away enough that if someone didn't project their voice, I would be able to make out what they were saying. It gave me a little bit of safety, but it also gave me only a little bit of information. One thing that I could hear over and over was the word "orb". If the whole team was excavating the Blue Orb, then I might have been too late to even bother trying to negotiate with Team Aqua for the fake one.

I needed a moment alone with the boss, but I guess I wasn't going to get that, not anytime soon. I sighed. My hand reached for my belt, double-checking that my party was still there. You could never be too careful as a thief. Thieves love to steal from thieves; it makes them feel justified somehow, so I had to be on constant guard.

My hands rested over my teammates' containers, _Camerupt, Houndoom, Nimble the Ninjask, Pincha the Weavile, and the newest member that I've recently swiped_. That appeared to be everybody.

Wait a minute...

I fumbled at my belt again, hoping that I was mistaken. Had I made such an amateur blunder?

The empty Poké Ball testified to how much of a dumbass I was. I really had done it. I left my secret weapon behind; the unpredictable nightmare-inducing monster was on the loose, and probably terrorizing the entire town, looking for me. I couldn't even imagine what sort of trouble he could cause when left alone for too long. He may be reliable when it comes to disarming Pokémon and humans, but he was unreliable as a lottery ticket when it came to staying in one place for too long.

I ducked behind the rock and started hitting my knee in frustration. This whole operation was just stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I couldn't go anywhere either, or my ass would get caught faster than a Mew in a Pokémon Hunter convention. I would just have to sit there and hope that the Aqua members didn't feel like exploring behind some boulders.

I poked my head out again, quietly observing the band of scalawags in their natural environment. Maybe if I was lucky, I could hear their mating calls or something.

That was when I noticed that not all of the grunts were gathered around Archie. No, in fact, it seemed some were actually trying to avoid him. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought they were hiding from him. Little heads peered from behind trees, glaring at the entire group as if it were their enemy, despite being on the same side. Were they Magma spies? If so, they weren't doing a very good job at disguising their distaste for the other team.

There was something wrong; I could feel it in the air like some sort of psychic. The situation just felt too surreal, like a dream waiting to burst at any moment. Archie was the center of attention, yet my eyes were drawn to the hiding shadows. Their presence was significant somehow, and I needed to know why. Were there different Aqua factions? Was there a schism of some sort? And what was in the cave?

Then the thought hit me. There was only one way to find out the answer to that last question, and it involved taking a risk. Granite Cave was a better hiding place anyway, but I would have to run like hell to get there.

The question was, how could I get in without being seen? I looked down at my Poké Balls, wondering if I should use one of them as a distraction. I wouldn't dare use an unknown Pokémon as a distraction, since doing so could risk my neck as well. Camerupt would get caught in an instant, so that wasn't even an option. Weavile was smart enough and fast enough to shake a bunch of clumsy pirates, but she was possibly the most valuable member of my team. Nimble could outspeed anything, human or otherwise, but he was so flimsy that a lucky attack could kill him. Plus, he had little to no common sense. Houndoom would do alright, but he might start chasing after a Linoone or something and I'd never be able to find him.

I reached into my jacket. I had a fake red and blue orb in each pocket that were practically begging for me to make use of. I could throw one of them into the group and at least catch their attention for a brief moment. But which one would be more valuable to me? If I promised the Red Orb to both teams, I could fulfill the promise with the red one, and no one would know any different. But if I had the blue one, I could get both teams to bid on both. I could make twice as much money, but I would also have to take a much greater risk. I didn't even know if the Blue Orb had been discovered yet; if I claimed to have both when another team already had one, my bullshit would quickly be exposed.

It took me a moment to think about it, but at last I came to a decision. My right hand squeezed the sphere tightly, as my special way of saying goodbye. Maybe if I were more sentimental, I would have said a few words as well. All I did though, was stare at the round object for a few seconds. Then I threw the sphere into the group and started running like there was no tomorrow.

Honestly, the way things were going, I wasn't sure that there was.

**Author's Note: Jonathan's thought process may seem contradictory at times, and that's because it is. Sometimes he may be strategic in his planning, and at other times he commits to whatever random whim that comes to mind. There are times he may not grasp the "big picture", causing him long-term trouble.**


	20. Chapter 20: Storm at Sea

Chapter written by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX and edited by ArceusGPG

After I had spent some time training up Frost (who appeared to be having a brilliant time shooting down Zubat with her Aurora Beam), I knew I had to leave the cave eventually. It seemed the frantic noise from outside was dying down, so I made my way back up to the mouth of Granite Cave. But as I grew closer to the exit, a peculiar humming noise gradually swelled.

I backed up against the wall, peering outside. I spotted something flitting about with surprising agility, dodging the swatting hands of the shrieking crowd. Once I took a proper look, I noticed that it was some kind of a Bug type- I wasn't sure which. I tried looking through the masses of people that were running about like headless Torchic, but I couldn't spot Archie or Tara.

The grunts were gradually retreating from the bug, eventually leaving the beaches almost empty. The noise had become somewhat quieter now, with only the sounds of vague muttering and a child crying about his stolen Pokémon. For a second, I felt nothing for them, but then a thought struck me.

When I would steal Pokémon in the past, I would simply laugh at the previous owner's misfortune and then leave, not looking back. Chances were the little brat would probably have loved the little Pokémon for another year and then ditched it somewhere when it grew old and ugly anyway. When I looked into the children's red, tearful faces at this point, however, I couldn't help but feel something for them. If someone had stolen Sara from me as a child, I knew I'd be bawling like that. Maybe even _harder _than that.

As the bug flew back to its Trainer, the sandstorms created by its buzzing wings began to subside, and the curtain of sand revealed a man in a dirty red jacket, his clothes caked in mud and sand.

After a moment of confusion, I recognized him. Jonathan Heist had actually proved himself to be _useful._

I just froze for a second, unsure of what to say to him. I couldn't thank him. Not yet. I'd only just met him for the first time in years; how could I trust him? It wasn't like he was completely trustworthy in the past, either.

Suddenly, an important thought entered my mind- I had to warn Harold. I didn't want him living in this region any longer, not after the fuss that'd been kicked up. If they've found out I took the orb, nothing was stopping Archie and his followers from taking my father's life for something that I'd done wrong. He probably guessed that I was as close to my father as I was to my mother, and he also seemed like the type to manipulate people by threatening those close to them.

I released Sara from her Poké Ball. Then I hurried across the sand to Harold's home.

* * *

Once I arrived, I swung the door open. Sara barked while I pulled back on her collar. The image before me sent a bolt of shock down my spine. I could've sworn that my heart had just stopped momentarily.

Harold's face was full of tears as he knelt on the floor, a Golbat hovering above Paws. The Linoone was paralyzed in fear. Shelly stood looking down at my father, a sickening smile on her face. She had an empty bag slung over her shoulder.

"Don't make me kill you both, old man. What's the code to the vault?!"

"You think I'm just going to reveal it to you because you're so bloody important, do you?!" Harold yelled, his voice quivering, but the fright on his voice was covered with a thin layer of bravery. "I'm not letting you anywhere near that orb, and I'm definitely not letting you kill an innocent Pokemon like my little Paws here! When my daughter's at work, he's the only company I have!"

"Hmph. As if your useless wife hadn't captured enough innocent Pokemon by force herself."

Harold spat in her face, and Shelly wiped it aggressively from her cheek, slapping Harold across the face with the back of her hand whilst doing so.

Burning rage filled my veins, and I felt my fingers twitching. I couldn't bear to see anyone treat my father this way- _especially_ Shelly.

"You leave my dad alone, you bitch!"

She froze. She then straightened her posture, turning her head to face me. "Oh, I'd guess you'd know more about this than your father would, considering you're the dirty little thief that stole the treasure from Archie in the first place."

She stepped forward. "So, would you like to open up about it, Meer? If your father isn't going to help out, then maybe you might want to- if you don't want him _dead_, that is."

"I never stole anything from Archie," I replied. "Stop kissing his ass, Shelly. You're only brown-nosing so you can grab that orb for yourself."

"I see. Avoiding the question, are we? Then maybe you'd like your father and his _beloved rat_ to suffer for your silence, huh?"

My mind had hit some kind of a paralysis, and I couldn't think straight. If I didn't give the code to her, then my father and Paws, who he shared many memories with, would suffer painfully for it. If I chose to tell her, then the orb would be in Shelly or Archie's possession- quite possibly the worst possession it could be in. Once they'd harnessed Kyogre's powers, I couldn't even want to imagine how else they'd abuse that kind of power and authority. There would be no pleasant way out of this. I knew it.

I didn't move my lips.

"Oh? Well, then, if we're not going to cooperate..." She gestured to her Pokemon. "Golbat?"

It turned, staring wildly at Harold, and then down at Paws. The little Pokémon's eyes opened wide.

I loved my father more than anyone else I knew. I couldn't let anything happen to him. He was the one who was always there when my mother couldn't be there for me. For me to let him die right now…It would have been horrid of me. Even if the rest of the region were to suffer for my decision, my father would be alive.

I quickly looked over at Sara, raising an eyebrow, and she nodded slightly.

"Golbat! Poison Fang it!"

It picked up Paws in its gaping jaws, shaking him about the way a Poochyena would shake a toy in its mouth. The Pokemon squealed, his little noises making even more tears pour from Harold's eyes.

"Agh! Get off of me!"

My eyes slid over to the Aqua admin. Shelly swatted at Sara's muzzle as she bit down on her arm tenaciously, blood trickling down the woman's arm. I noticed something out of the corner of my eye- Paws lying on the floor, limp, bloody and covered in toxic ooze, and Harold huddling against the wall.

"Golbat! Get over here and Wing Attack this thing!"

Golbat slapped the dog with a powerful wing, knocking her to the ground.

"Dad, stay back!" I yelled, and Harold stayed kneeling in the corner, picking up the photos that had dropped on the floor.

"Sara! Assurance!"

Sara struggled to get to her feet for a second, then growled and shook her fur. She bounded up and tackled the bat, knocking out one of its toxic fangs. Shelly was determined not to lose.

"That's it! Golbat, take care of her!"

Golbat flapped its wings at an almost-invisible rate. It didn't seem like it was going after Sara at first.

Golbat's wing made a slicing motion at my chest with an Aerial Ace attack, knocking me down. The slice was so swift that I didn't feel any pain until I'd hit the floor. I lay with my teeth gritted and my hand pressed to the wound to suppress the bleeding. It stood on my chest, its mouth agape, drool dripping onto my neck. The scent of the blood must have been appetizing for him.

"I won't ask you again." Shelly knelt in, smiling smugly in my face. "What's the code?"

"Seven-zero-four-two-six-five-eight-three-one!"

I gazed across the room at the bundle of nerves in the corner, shielding his crying eyes. "Seven…zero…four…two…six…five…eight…three…one…"

Shelly tutted. "Well, at least _one _of us is willing to cooperate."

I watched as Shelly approached the vault, quickly tapping the code into the keypad and swinging the door open, revealing the metallic shine of the inner safe… and that blue glow. Shelly's eyes bulged at the orb, her entire attention captured by the treasure. She carefully picked it up, slipping it into her bag. She chuckled to herself, muttering something under her breath. She said something to Harold:

"If only you were like your mother."

She and Golbat fled.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and re-opening them, hoping that this nightmare would fade and that I'd awaken in my bed, safe and sound, a new, promising day ahead of me.

Sadly, this was no nightmare, and they day ahead of my seemed to promise nothing but doom and gloom.

I lifted myself slowly and gradually to my feet. I made my way over to my father, holding out my hand. He reached out and took it, and I pulled him to his feet. He wiped his eyes, gazing up at me. He looked so fragile, and I felt something in my eyes that I hadn't felt for a long time. I felt tears pool in my eyes. The future for Harold seemed dim enough as it was, and now, it seemed like Team Aqua wasn't going to forget about him just yet.

"Harold…"

I grabbed him tightly. "You have to get out of here."

"Out of Dewford-"

"Hoenn," I replied, my voice beginning to sound tearful. "Dad, you need to get out of Hoenn as quick as possible!"

**Author Note: Big thanks to our new follower and faver! You made our day. :)**


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